Why Radical Honesty about Motherhood Might Be the Missing Piece in Your Business
Apr 16, 2026
What happens when you stop pretending everything is fine
There’s a version of motherhood—and business—that we’re often shown.
It looks calm.
It looks capable.
It looks like she has it all handled.
And if you’re being honest… it can make you feel like you’re the only one who doesn’t.
In this episode, I sat down with Libby Ward—content creator, maternal wellness advocate, and author of Honest Motherhood—and we talked about what happens when you stop trying to meet that version… and start telling the truth instead.
Not just online.
But with yourself.
Because that’s where everything actually begins.
The truth so many women are afraid to say out loud
There’s an unspoken rule in motherhood:
You can struggle… but not too much.
You can be tired… but still grateful.
You can be overwhelmed… but don’t say you hate parts of it.
And if you cross that invisible line?
It suddenly feels like your identity as a “good mom” is up for debate.
Libby shared how, before she ever spoke about it publicly, she felt that tension deeply—knowing she loved her kids, but also knowing that parts of motherhood felt incredibly hard… and not seeing that reflected anywhere around her.
So she did something most people don’t.
She said it out loud.
And what happened next is something I think a lot of women are craving:
People came forward and said, “Me too.”
Why honesty isn’t just about sharing—it’s about self-awareness
What stood out most in this conversation wasn’t just Libby’s willingness to be honest publicly.
It was her commitment to being honest privately.
Because while sharing created connection…
Self-honesty created change.
She said something that stayed with me:
You are the only one who knows your capacity.
Not Instagram.
Not your neighbour.
Not the “shoulds” of motherhood or business.
Just you.
And yet, so many of us outsource that awareness.
We look at what everyone else is doing and assume we should be able to do the same—without ever asking:
Does this actually fit my life?
There is no “arrival” (and why that’s actually freeing)
One of the most powerful moments in the conversation was this idea:
There is no point where you figure it all out.
No moment where everything clicks and stays that way.
Instead, both motherhood and business are a constant practice of:
- adjusting
- trying
- learning
- recalibrating
Libby described it like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube—while new challenges keep getting added.
And instead of seeing that as failure…
What if we saw it as information?
The cost of not naming what’s hard
When you don’t name what’s hard, a few things happen:
You carry it alone.
You assume it’s just you.
And you waste energy trying to pretend it’s not there.
And that last part matters more than we realize.
Because when you’re already stretched thin…
Using your energy to hide your reality instead of respond to it is what keeps you stuck.
Naming it doesn’t make you weak.
It makes you resourced.
It gives you something to work with.
Why we’re so quick to make everything mean something about us
One of the most relatable parts of this conversation was how quickly we, as women, attach meaning to everything.
Something goes wrong—and suddenly it’s not just a moment.
It’s:
- “I’m failing”
- “I’m not good at this”
- “There’s something wrong with me”
But the truth is:
Most things are just… things that happened.
And the more energy we spend making them mean something about who we are, the less energy we have to actually move forward.
The balance between personal responsibility and systemic pressure
This is where the conversation got really nuanced—and really important.
Because there are two things happening at once:
- We are navigating systems that make motherhood and business harder
- We also have patterns, habits, and behaviours that contribute to our experience
And the answer isn’t choosing one.
It’s learning to hold both.
Not blaming yourself for everything.
But also not giving your power away entirely.
Just asking:
What’s true here—and what can I actually do about it?
For the woman who’s afraid to show up online
If you’re building a business, this part is for you.
Because we talked about the fear so many women have:
“What if I say the wrong thing?”
“What if people judge me?”
“What if it all goes wrong?”
And Libby’s answer was simple—but powerful:
Even if your biggest fear happens… you’ll survive it.
She’s lived it.
The criticism.
The backlash.
The uncomfortable moments.
And what she realized is this:
The fear of showing up often costs more than the risk of being seen.
Because when you don’t show up, you don’t just avoid criticism…
You miss connection.
You miss impact.
You miss the people who need what you have.
What this really comes down to
At the core of everything we talked about is this:
Not perfection.
Not productivity.
Not doing more.
Just honesty.
Honesty about:
- what you can hold
- what you need
- what’s working
- and what isn’t
And then building from there.
Final reflection
If you take one thing from this episode, let it be this:
What would change if you were just a little more honest—with yourself?
Not louder.
Not more visible.
Not more polished.
Just… more honest.
Because that’s where everything shifts.
